Joining Forces FAQ for Certified Fitness Professionals

Frequently Asked Questions

Click on the Fitness Providers link in the navigation bar or on the image.

You can login towards the bottom of the page. If you already have an account with ACE you will be prompted to enter your username and password. If you do not yet have an account, you will need to create one to pledge.

In the Pledge My Support section, select the service you wish to offer (i.e., personal training sessions or group fitness classes), and enter the number of hours you wish to pledge. Please note that if you pledge 2 or more hours, you are eligible for the online display “badges” plus Twitter and Facebook tools displayed in the side bar of this page.

Enter a more detailed description of your service offering. You can choose how you wish to manage the hours you have pledged. For instance: you can offer two or more hours to the same family, OR indicate that you are offering 1 hour per family.

Click the Pledge My Support button.

How do I show up on the listing?

If you have pledged hours that have not been fulfilled, you will show up if your zip code is within a 25-mile radius of the zip code entered.

How do I manage the number of hours I’ve agreed to pledge versus the number of hours fulfilled?

On your Fitness Providers page within www.acefitness.org/joiningforces/ there is a list of all of the requests you have received. You can click the Update link next to the request to update the status of the request. If you select “I’ve Fulfilled This Request” you will be asked to provide the number of hours fulfilled, and optionally, to tell us about your experience.

Once you have fulfilled as many (or more) hours than you have pledged, your offering will no longer appear on the website.

Can I pledge more service training hours once all of the hours I originally pledged have been fulfilled?

Absolutely! You are ALWAYS welcome to pledge additional hours – as many as you’d like.

What if I can’t fulfill the hours I’ve pledged?

Go to www.acefitness.org/joiningforces/ and enter the Fitness Provider section, once you login you can see a list of all of the services you have pledged. If you need to revoke your pledge you may do so by clicking the Revoke button and then following the directions on the form.

Can I pledge to offer fitness training services to immediate family members of actively deployed National Guard or actively deployed Reservists?

This is for actively deployed Reservists and National Guard and their immediate family members where the Reservist or Guard member is actively deployed or anticipating deployment within the next six months. This includes actively deployed Reservists and National Guard and their immediate family members where the Reservist or Guard member has returned from deployment within the last six months.

Can I pledge to offer fitness training services to surviving family members of those who have been killed while actively deployed National Guard or actively deployed Reservist?

The Joining Forces initiative includes widows/widowers and immediate family members of those who have been killed while serving as actively deployed National Guard or as an actively deployed Reservist. Please ensure that you address these special circumstances with additional sensitivity and compassion.

Can I pledge to offer fitness training services to active duty military personnel serving in the U.S. Air Force, Army, Coast Guard, Navy or Marine Corps?

While the Joining Forces initiative is inclusive of ALL branches of the U.S. military, we are initially offering fitness training services at no cost to National Guard members, Activated Reservists and their immediate families. For more information on the comprehensive Joining Forces initiative, visit www.whitehouse.gov/joiningforces/

How will I be contacted about my service offering?

When a service member or family requests to receive your fitness service offering through www.acefitness.org/joiningforces/ , you will get an email from support@acefitness.org informing you of this request. The email will contain a link to allow you to view the details of the request. The request will contain the email, and possibly a phone number, of the individual interested in your fitness services. Please remember to update the request status through the website.

If you do not respond to a request within 5 days, we will send you a reminder email.

How do I contact the family requesting my services?

The family or family member requesting your services will provide their email, and will also have the option to list their phone number. Please contact them through either or both of these methods.

What do I get for participating in this initiative?

Through Joining Forces, you have a rare opportunity to give back to our nation’s men and women in uniform and their families by offering them fitness services at no cost.

This is an opportunity for you to continue to grow your client base, as military service members and their immediate families may choose to pay for your services once you’ve fulfilled your pledged hours. In addition, they may refer your services to extended family members and friends.

You can earn CECs towards recertification. You may receive up to .2 CECs per renewal cycle for public outreach. Once you have fulfilled your pledge, you can contact the ACE Educational Services department at 800.825.3636 x782 for assistance in this.

In addition, we have provided a few tools to help you promote yourself and your fitness business by participating in this initiative. If you pledge at least 2 hours, you will be able to download an online display “badge” to place on your website. You can also post your participation to your Facebook profile and through your Twitter handle.

What is ACE doing to validate pledged hours are given to actively deployed Reservists and actively deployed National Guard and their immediate family members?

Fitness professionals are advised to ask military families for proof of deployment and military status. This can be accomplished in a number of ways including military ID’s for service members and dependents and a copy of the service member’s recent orders

How will ACE ensure that recipients don’t take advantage of the system and use multiple pledges from several sources?

ACE will track donations from fitness professionals and military family participants who engage with fitness professionals on an individual basis. Any abuse of the process will be noted and addressed so as to ensure all military families can get the most out of this initiative. We know that military families are very supportive of each other so we are confident they will participate in only one pledge of support to ensure there is support available for everyone.